Savin' Me
by Butterfly Bandage
Summary: -ON HIATUS- After his fight with the Otonin, Genma's feelings for Shizune slowly grow the more he thinks about her. Genma's POV, Genma x Shizune
1. Waking Up

**Gah... I am suddenly in love with Shiranui Genma... and I DON'T KNOW WHY! ...DAMN...**

**So yeah, Genma/Shizune. Weird, off-the-wall coupling, but I like it, and poor Genma-sensei doesn't have anyone. (sob) Unless you count Genma/Hayate, but Hayate-sensei's DEAD, DAMMIT. WHY'D HE HAVE TO DIE?**

**Warning:_ Shit_ for what may be OOC-ness, but we haven't really seen much of Genma's personality yet, so...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or Shizune, nor Genma-sensei. Although soon I shall own his clothes! MWA HA HA!**

**I'm cosplaying, people. Sick minded... I am SO sick minded. I wrote that and realized just how many ways there are that people can manipulate those words... Christ... I have GOT to stop reading rated NC-17 fanfics... XP**

* * *

Last thing I remember was me and Raidou getting our asses kicked. After that, nothing. Nada. I don't remember losing, or falling to the ground, or anything else. 

So when I opened my eyes, blinked a few times, and saw Shizune slowly come into focus, I cursed in my head.

_DAMN!_

She had to see me like that, of course. Because _fate is a bitch_.

Unless, of course, it involves something normally seen in Kakashi's books. Which... isn't really fate, now that I think about it... more like sick. I mean more along the lines of love, I suppose.

But fate really is a bitch. It's the same thing as destiny. Frickin' things that are _supposedly_ going to happen usually do end up doing so, whether I want it to or not.

I'd rather it been she had seen me fighting heroically against those damn Sound Ninjas. Not sitting on my ass bleeding like hell. But apparently, those _specific _Otonin used techniques that pass perhaps even the level of Hokage. Which pisses me off, seeing as how they all can't be that much older then most of those kids that entered the Chuunin exam. So of course, there was really no way Raidou and I could've beaten them.

I sound like the Hyuuga kid. Damn.

So, I was still slightly consious, regestered weakly the fact that she had her hands on my chest and was literally pumping life back into my battered body (again, I say.We got our asses KICKED.) and thought, "Wha..?"

Yup. That's me. Intelligent, on-the-ball Shiranui Genma.

Everything kept moving around, like I was basically underwater. Nothing was really... stable, for lack of a better word. I heard Iwashi say that he was going to pursue the damn kids and (while it hurt like HELL, lemme tell you) managed to get my point across. Though I must say, the coughing up blood was definetly a surprise. That stuff does _not_ taste good.

Shizune sent Iwashi (with Raidou on his back) back to Hokage-sama to get some reinforcements and some more medical ninja (most likely to carry _me_ back to Konoha. Ugh, now _that's_ embarassment for ya...), and I managed, once again, to talk and, being stupid, tried to move.

Shizune is the opposite of me, as in, she doesn't usually act like an idiot, which I usually can. She told me not to move, and when I did anyways, she told me if I moved again, she'd (ahem) "kick your ass even worse than the Otonin did".

That was surprising, coming from Shizune.

I was able to choke out, "That's nice of you," though, considering my current state, she probably only got the 'nice' part. Nonetheless, she softened up a bit.

That surprised me even more.

Shizune spends most of her time with Hokage-sama, a.k.a Tsunade, a.k.a. one of the legendary Sannin, a.k.a a real _bitch_ when she wants to be. So I figured that would rub off on Shizune. I expected her to chatise me for attempting to talk again. I even kind of expected her to slap me a bit (not hard, just enough to knock some sense into me, because I sure as hell could've used it).

I did not expect her to walk over to me, sit down, and tell me in a really soft voice, "Just stop, please? You'll just hurt yourself more, and make _me _worry more."

I am sorry to say that at that moment, I was beyond dumbfounded, and thus my mouth was open.

Then I repeated my famous line.

"Wha..?"

Although, unlike previously when it was in my head, this time it was from my mouth, and man, that hurt like _hell_. I was not expecting an evil, bitchy pulse to go right through my chest. I nearly yelled out _"Holy Christ!"_ but figured that would probably make it worse, and anyways, I probably wouldn't've been able to manage it. So I thought it, among other obscene things that shouldn't ever be repeated.

It must've shown in my face, because a flicker of anxiety passed over Shizune's face for a split second, than was replaced by a small smile. "See? I told you, you'll only make your wounds worse."

Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, _damn_...

One eye closed from pain (more blood, too), I glanced up at her and made an attempt to nod. That hurt.

_Damn_ them Otonin.

I must've blacked out after that, because, once again, that's all I can remember. Next thing I knew, I was sitting in the hospital back in Konoha. Or rather, was laying on a bed in the hospital back in Konoha. I raised my head slightly and saw Raidou adjacent from my bed.

It was about then that I realized that something was wrapped around my hand.

Looked down and nearly had a heart attack.

There was Shizune. She was fast asleep, and it was her hand that was over mine. I wondered for a moment how long she had been there, then, for the first time in a while, (at least, since I had fought the Otonin) smiled slightly.

Then I put my head back on the soft, whiteness of the pillow and went back to sleep.

Surprisingly, it felt good. At least this time it wasn't on a tree, and it was intended.

* * *

**You know, I wouldn't be surprised if this may not be a oneshot. It probably won't be. **

**And please don't bash me too hard... I have a hard time writing romance scenes, I only like reading them, but I figured I'd try.**

**And I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. Yeah... Gomenasai.**


	2. Thinking

**A few people have been asking me to continue this... so I shall. I'm also feeling a bit depressed, seeing as how my grandfather deleted almost every one of my Naruto episodes from the computer, except for 114, 122, 125, and 186. I'm perfectly find with the first three, but the last one? Anything but that! NOT SHINO LAUGHS! THE HORROR, OH THE HORROR!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I don't think I ever will, which just makes me even more depressed. Which I didn't think was possible, but hell. Whatever.**

* * *

Being in the hospital can be seriously boring, I swear. 

For example. I was sent there when I was about seven, and besides being scared out of my mind, I had to sit there for three days while I recovered from that tumble off the cliff.

Hey. I didn't see that rock. I did _not_ know that I would trip.

Anyways, I spent plenty of time in the hospital, and every time I do, being discharged is like being born again. To be frank, I hate the hospital. But the biggest reason of all is that whenever I'm there, and I'm bored, I tend to... think. And sometimes it can get pretty bad. I'll let your imagination run wild at this point.

So, after the fight with the Otonin, I thought for a while, staring up at the ceiling (oh my, what a passtime) and a whole bunch of questions formed.

But the most disturbing of all?

_How in all that is holy did I get in the hospital clothes?_

I mean, how come whenever you wake up in a hospital, you're in the off-the-shoulder white shirt with the little slit in the front, making a sort of collar. How the hell do they do it?

I know it's not some kind of jutsu, because what kind of nutcase would put all his time and effort into creating a jutsu that changes clothes?

Well, Naruto might, but he's a dumbass. So he doesn't really count. And Jiraiya-sama would, too. But for different reasons that don't relate to changing the clothes of mortally wounded people in the haven of all that is evil, the hospital.

Yeah. I REALLY hate hospitals.

Shizune stopped by today. It could've been just me, but I could swear that she was blushing.

Blushing?

Hmm... I don't know why. Either it's because I was in that hospital shirt...

Or that they overheated the hospital room.

Personally, I'm hoping for the former. Otherwise, I'm just being hopeful.

The first thing she did was walk over with some flowers and set them on the bedside table next to my bed (well hot damn. a BEDSIDE table is next to a bed? good job, Genma, you're learning quickly.), then asked me how I was feeling and to get the God damned senbon out of my mouth.

I like chewing on a thin piece of metal that happens to be extremely pointy. SO SUE ME. I tried to say that, but at that exact moment the senbon decided to cut the roof of my mouth.

I have never done that before. I swear. From the moment I started chewing the thing to now, I have never ONCE cut myself. So, out of nowhere,when I'm about to mouth off, I suddenly do?

It was either a sign from God or further proof of my stupidity.

Once again, I choose the first one.

I started gagging like an idiot, nearly swallowing the stupid toothpick, which would've just meant that I'd be in the hospital longer. Lord knows how long it would take for me to be discharged after THAT. They'd probably be worried that I'd just pop another one into my mouth as soon as I got down the street and out of their sight.

Which I would. Just saying.

And what does Shizune do?

She whaps me over the head and says that she isn't telling me to stop for HER damned health.

Well, it worked, because the senbon flew out of my mouth after her hand propelled my head forward into my knees. Now I'm going to have ANOTHER bruise to match all the other ones.

Dear GOD, I have seriously been having an off-week.

Most people just have an off day. But not me. No, I have an off WEEK.

That must be the second (or third, I try not to think about it) time that I've made a fool out of myself.

Shizune just shook her head as I continued to cough, telling me that Tsunade's going to be coming in a while.

Well, la-dee-frickin-da.

That's all I need. The Hokage seeing one of her Special-Jonin choking on a fucking SENBON. IN A HOSPITAL. Now I'm sure to get a pay-raise.

Though I still thanked Shizune. I don't know why.

Then I get a surprise.

Supposedly there's going to be a festival coming up, and (blushing furiously again, I might add) she wanted to know if we could go together (at this point she made a comment about me going only if my mouth healed. Evil, I say, EVIL!).

So I said sure. Why not.

She brightened up immensely and reminded me to wear my best kimono, as everyone else will.

Well, that's not so bad. A festiva- wait, what?

A... kimono?

Oh Christ.

* * *

**Wow. That's a crappy ending.**

**I know you deserve better, I really outta put more time and effort into the crap I come up with. Next chapter will be up shortly. (Yes, chapter. You people have done the impossible. You've MOTIVATED ME.)**


	3. Festival

**G-gomenasai... -ish mad tired from typing all night- I just haven't been able to get on to update this story... plus many other reasons, but in the wise words of Melissa the Honorable Literate One (God, I love that name... XD) I won't get into that.**

**Also, I've decided to rename this fic 'Savin' Me' based off the song by Nickelback, which sooooo matches Genma/Shizune (like, Genma's singing it -swoons-) and the AMV that got me into the pairing in the first place (again, Nickelback, Savin' Me, yeah).**

**By the way, any of you going to mangaNEXT in the Meadowlands here in Jersey? I'm going as (whoo, surprise surprise) Genma. If you are, I strongly caution you do not cosplay as Shizune, for I am glomping the first one I see purely for the sake of the OTP. If you're not, then pictures shall be provided! Okay, I've rattled on long enough, on with the fanfic.**

**And one last thing. Yes, I am a girl. I'm crossdressing. Quite easy when the guy has the exact same hair. Literally. It sticks up in the back the EXACT SAME WAY. o.o**

**Okay. I'm done.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. None of us do. We just write these because our fantasies will never ever come true. Most likely. Yeah...**

* * *

"Meh... this thing is so itchy..." I moaned, plucking at the cloth. I was waiting outside Shizune's house, having finally been discharged from the hospital. This damn kimono was really, really uncomfortable, and anyways, I was never really a kimono person from the start. I prefer a shirt and pants. It makes moving so much easier.

Can you just imagine shinobi trying to fight in kimonos?

That'd be one hell of a fight, I'll give you that. People tripping and flying around everywhere. That'd be interesting to watch, wouldn't it?

I suppose we could win. Our opponents would probably die laughing. I know I would.

While I was mulling over this interesting concept, Shizune had come out. I heard the door slam. I turned around...

and stared.

She was, for lack of a better word, _beautiful_. She walked by me smiling, and told me to shut my mouth.

I had opened it?

I don't recall my mouth ever opening in disbelief. But it was. Damn. What a great way to start a da- get together... thing. Okay fine. It's a date.

I just followed her towards the festival, which was being held in the center of town.

I got many comments about what I was wearing. Mostly because half of the people in attendence had never seen me in anything other than my normal blue pants and shirt with the vest. When one person made a snappy comment to me, I replied by telling the person to go do something that could land you in jail if you said it loud enough.

Yeah. I didn't get any comments after that. Got a reproving look from Tsunade-sama, though.

The festival was pretty... entertaining, to say the least. It was basically sake, sake, sake, and Gai was challenging Kakashi to a drinking contest. Again.

Damned youth.

Poor Kakashi just sat there with his head on the table wondering what he'd ever done to deserve this. The first four times he just kinda sat there like, "Eh, whatever." But after all while alchohol took its toll.

Let's just hope that he doesn't get _drunk_ drunk or else we're all screwed up the ass. Last time he got seriously drunk one person got the Chidori pretty damn hard. Since he was drunk he couldn't control that much chakra to make it lethal, but still. It was the Chidori. That thing hurts like a _bitch_.

Or so I've seen. I try to stay as far away from Kakashi's bad side as it is physically possible.

And Gai just kept chugging it down. What is _with _that guy? Does he have some extra internal organ that keeps his BAC in check or something? I wouldn't put it past him.

Well, anyways, while I was observing this spectacle, Shizune poked me.

"Hey," she said quietly. "Are you... in there?"

I shook my head, trying to clear it. "What?" I must've been gazing with a blank look on my face. Kakashi and Gai's contests tend to do that to me. Last time, I sat there for a full ten minutes, marveling at their techniques... after the contest was over.

I readjusted my kimono again. "Is there a reason why we have to wear these things? I feel stupid." I tried not to sound whiney, which can be hard when you're annoyed.

She rolled her eyes.

"You look fine," she said, smacking my hand away as I started fiddling with the sash. "Knock it off, look, it's started to fray." I looked down, and sure enough, it looked like someone had cut it with a kunai. Very unattractive.

She looked down at her own kimono, which was the same color as her usual one, except that it had a pattern of white flowers blossoming all over the bottom and moving into the waist. Mine was just a dark green, which matched my usual Chuunin vest. Wasn't wearing my hitai-ate, either, which I actually LIKE to do, cause it give my head some relaxation...

But I still had my senbon. Yup. It _defines_ me. I can't help it.

So, anyways, we started walking around, stopping every now and then to talk to someone, when I suddenly felt a sharp pain ripple across my chest, like in a ripple does in water. Okay, bad metaphor. Point is, it hurt. A lot.

_**Show me what it's like  
To be the last one standing** _

"Oi... S-Shizune..." Wow... not feeling very good... She didn't turn around, she was too busy talking to someone.

_**  
And teach me wrong from right  
And I'll show you what I can be**_

"Shizune!" I tried to say it more urgently, but to my surprise, I didn't hear anything. _  
_

_**Say it for me  
Say it to me  
**_

The pains were getting really bad, and it got to the point where I couldn't see straight. I tried one last time to get Shizune's attention by attempting to call out her name again, but like before I didn't hear anything. The ground wobbled underneath me. Then, to my intense relief, I saw her turn around, just as everything got really... dark.

_**And I'll leave this life behind me  
**_

_"Genma!"_

_**Say it if it's worth saving me**_

The last thing I heard was someone crying out my name as I hit the ground.

_**Hurry, I'm falling.**_

**

* * *

**

**Whoo. Twist.**

**You guys deserve soooo much more from me, I swear. **

**And now I'm sure you wanna kill me.**


	4. Back Again

**GAH!! I'm SORRY!! I AM SO SORRY FOR THE HOLDUP!!!!!! dies I just haven't been able to get on the computer lately, and then my mom confiscated my manuscript ( . ) so, yeah. So, basically, I've been forced to do this chapter in 4th period Careers and Computers.**

**Now, please enjoy the sucky chapter I have posted.**

* * *

"Tsunade-sama said it was apparently some kind of after-effect from the fight or something."

I snapped my eyes open. White ceiling. White walls. White sheets. No senbon.

Oh _shit._

This is not gonna be good, I can tell already.

"Apparently Raidou got a bit of it too, but not as bad as Genma."

Okay, that was Izumo's voice… the first one was Kotetsu… I should be very careful when I look over…

"GENMA!!!"

I jumped about a foot in the air as, like I predicted, the two decided to scare the living daylights out of me by shouting my name as loud as possible when they saw that I was awake.

"Owowowowow…." I hissed, as a sharp pain flew through my chest, stomach, and, surprisingly, right arm. I sank back into the pillow, cursing colorfully, as Izumo and Kotetsu apologized hastily.

"How're you feeling, Genma?" Izumo asked hurriedly, obviously trying to ward away the embarrassment he and Kotetsu were no doubt feeling at the moment.

"Oh, jim dandy," I snapped, massaging my shoulder. "Never been better."

Kotetsu grinned. "Well, you're definitely going to be fine, if your attitude is anything to go by."

I glared at him. "If _your _attitude is anything to go by, I obviously haven't been asleep for very long. You're _still _in need of an extreme attitude adjustment."

Izumo whistled. "Not bad, but I think that comeback would've been better had you not been jacked up on morphine."

I responded with an extremely rude gesture with my left hand, as my right was currently indisposed.

"There's no need for that," Tsunade-sama said sternly, closing the door behind her. I pulled an extremely sarcastic look.

"With these two? You've gotta be kidding me."

I admit, I shouldn't've talked back, but I was in a seriously bad mood, being back in the hospital and all. I mean, _really. _I'm finally shot of the place, and what do I get? A round trip.

Whopp-dee-_fucking-_doo.

Like I'm really going to act all sugar-high and happy after _that._

The idiots continued to smirk, and Tsunade-sama, apparently trying to be funny, said, "Okay, order, order in the hospital room."

"Hagane Kotetsu, Kamizuki Izumo, you have been brought up on charges of first degree stupidity," I said dryly. "How do you plead?"

"Not guilty, you're Honor," Kotetsu shot back, still grinning.

"Okay, you two, shoo." Tsunade-sama motioned with her hands to Izumo and Kotetsu, who got up from their chairs and, smirking at me, walked out. Laughing, I needn't add.

I'm not going to describe exactly what Tsunade-sama said happened, as I didn't really understand myself, being, as Izumo so wisely said, 'jacked up on morphine'.

I guess she must've noticed, since I probably just sat there blinking, like, "Whaa???"

She smirked.

_Never _a good sign.

"By the way, Genma, you have another visitor."

I raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

The door opened and in walked Shizune, a half-mad, half-concerned look on her face.

My jaw dropped.

And I thought _Tsunade _was going to be bad.

I was in for it now.

**

* * *

**

**GAHH!! You guys STILL deserve so much better from me, I'm sorry! **

**T.T**


	5. Babbling

**A/N: Once again, I beg your eternal forgiveness for having to wait two months for this. But this time, (get ready) I have some good excuses! I had midterms, I got braces (gah****), my glasses broke, so I needed new ones (they look like Ishida's!) and I realized just how much of a nerd that appears to make me. o.O Rest assured, I wear black all the time and I don't have a pocket protector.**

**ON WITH THE FIC!**

**Disclaimer: Genma, Shizune, and all related persons belong to Masashi Kishimoto, not me. Sadly. OMG FILLERS ARE ENDING!!**

**Lyrics belong to Nickelback, or, more specifically, Chad Kroeger. Still not me.**

_**

* * *

**_

_**Every time I try to talk to you,  
**__**I get tongue-tied, turns out  
**__**that everything I say to you  
**__**comes out wrong, it never comes out right.**_

A whack over the head. That's what I get for-- what was it? Oh yeah, an immense charkra build-up that caused my arteries to close up.

I have the best life.

"_OW!! _What the hell was THAT for??" I rubbed the back of my head. DAMN that girl can hit hard. Once more my head was propelled into my knees.

"For scaring me at the festival, _THAT'S_ WHAT!" she shouted back. Behind her, beyond the door, I could've sworn I heard a thump that sounded suspiciously like someone falling over from shock.

"Well, I'm so damn fucking sorry my fucking arteries decided 'HEY!! Let's all fucking CLOSE and FUCKING KILL GENMA!! WHAT A FUCKING PARTY!'

Wow. Five times in two sentences. I'm getting to be obscene.

"Why the _fuck_ didn't you fucking tell a fucking medical shinobi when you fucking realized that something was FUCKING WRONG?!"

Damn. A tie. And it looks like I'm getting to ba a bad influence, too.

"Well, when you kind of can't feel your arms and legs anymore, that gets to be a -what's the word? Ah, yes- a bit of an _obstacle._ And I made a valiant attempt to tell someone, I assure you. When one's arm feels like it's about to fall off, one tends to _worry _about that a tad." My temper was slowly hitting the boiling point, and I can be a real wiseass when I'm flared.

I opened my mouth just to ask her to leave. This wasn't going to help me at all, and my headache was only going to get worse.

I faltered when I noticed she was crying.

Yeah.

Crying.

I didn't even _do _anything this time!

Well, okay, I did.

_Fuck._

It wasn't sobbing or anything. Just tears. That's all.

The kind that always makes my train of thought spiral off the track, do a few 360's, and land _spectacularly _off course about a mile from where it started.

There, that should put a good picture of what kind of position I was in at the moment.

And, of course, whenever I'm out of it, plus there is someone I happen to AHEM quite a bit crying over my safety, (double whammy right there) I do what I always do in times of a crisis.

I babble like a complete and utter _idiot. _

"Ah... look Shizune I know I scared you but it's not like I did it on purpose or anything and I'm sure the booze probably didn't help and it wasn't your fault either it was probably completely my fault for telling the doctors I was fine and really it couldn't've been that bad right well okay maybe it was but like I said it wasn't my fault and... hi," I waved pathetically at her as she stared at me, stunned. It occured to me very quickly that she didn't understand a word of that. _I _barely did.

God, just kill me now. Just _kill me now_.

Then again, why stop the torture? I must be a fun toy to play with and say "Aw, look at that! He's _babbling_, bless him! Romance es_capes_ him so!"

I banged my bruised forehead on my knees, cursing. Again.

The added pain didn't help.

Then, something popped into my head. Something that may be the answer, and something that, being me, I hadn't noticed before.

I raised my head and looked at her. She was still looking at me in a very bemused sort of way.

I took a deep breath.

"I'm...sorry?"

She blinked. "What?"

I took another deep breath.

"I'm sorry. What I did was stupid, and I apologize for scaring you."

If you think that was easy to say, then you can ----------------------------------------.

Ahem.

Anyhoo, I'm sure this next part will surprise you as much as it did me.

She hugged me.

_GENMA'S TRAIN OF THOUGHT:_ Does not compute. Does not compute. Does not compute. _System restarting_.

GAH! TWO PLUS TWO ISN'T EQUALING FOUR!!!

"Sh-Sh-Shizune?"

I was stuttering, I admit it, but honestly, do you guys really expect anything less from me?

"Stupid idiot," she said, muffled.

I sighed, grinning a bit. Maybe hitting my head wasn't the wrong thing to do after all,

Let's hope.

_**So I'll say 'why don't you and I get together  
and take on the world  
and be together forever  
Heads we will and tails we'll try again  
So I say why don't you and I hold each other  
and fly to the moon and straight on to heaven  
'Cause without you they're never going to let me in **_

* * *

**-shrug- I think this chapter is one of my best, yet. And, oh yeah, Genma's tendency to babble like an idiot is based entirely off of me. I can assure you it is not a very helpful habit to have. Oi...**

**The 'Does not compute' thing belongs to my friend Anthony, who does that whenever he doesn't get something. The part following that is whatever I say when I don't understand people.**

**Yes. We all have our problems.**

**So, till next time, ja ne! I'll try to get chapter 6 up quicker, you guys rock for waiting so long!**


	6. Midnight Blue

**A/N: Augh... I am SO so so sorry that I took forever with this chapter, but I've been really busy, and when I finally did get to work on it, I forgot to send it to my email, so I couldn't finish it... :( Then, when I DID, I got stuck on this really really REALLY slow laptop (that I am on right now). I was afraid to download this chapter, that's how slow this thing is. I honestly thought that it would... I dunno, implode and create a black hole in space and time or something. **

**:D Enjoy the chapter and ignore my ongoing paranoia. And my current Treasure Planet fixation. I FINALLY SAW IT!**

**Disclaimer: Genma, Shizune, and all related and mentioned characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Not me. Damn. I SHALL OWN THEM ONE DAY!! --waves fist- Lyrics belong to Chad Kroeger and Nickleback.  
**

_**When's this fever gonna break?  
I think I've handled more than any man can take.  
I'm like a love-sick puppy chasin' you around...  
O-oh, and it's alright.**_

"Okay, get ready," Shizune spoke around the syringe in her mouth, tying the rubber on my arm. I grimanced.

"Dammit, I hate needles."

"Just grit your teeth and bare it, you big baby," she said, taking the plastic out of her mouth. She filled it with an ominous blue liquid, choose her spot, placed the needle to my skin, and prodded me, pushing the end.

Maybe there was something in that stuff that made me slightly more literate. Gai would've claimed that I'd've said "pointy thing" somewhere in that last sentence.

Jeez.

"So, are you going to tell me what this stuff does, or am I going to bust my brain in an attempt to figure it out myself?" I growled as I pricked my tongue with my senbon (again. I'm starting to think that might be an omen or something).

"I told you," said Shizune patiently; how she could be patient with me was a mystery, "it's to keep your chakra in check, make sure we don't have a reinnactment of the festival, things like that. Your chakra is still slightly unbalanced after all."

"So, there's no... intelligence booster or something in there?"

"Obviously not," she answered dryly, packing up her things. It took me a moment, then I said, "Well, my dignity dropped a few notches, thank you, Shizune."

"Proud to be of assistance." She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. "Did Kotetsu give you the report?"

"Yeah, and he was a wiseass about it too," I answered, rolling my eyes and shifting a bit. Damn arm. For some reason, that part of my body hurts more than anything else. Go figure.

"How was Kotetsu a wiseass?"

"Pft. He wouldn't stop hinting about how much I apparently am missing by being confined to the hospital. Did Tsunade-sama really throw a chair out the window?"

She laughed at that. "Yes, and I witnessed that one. It hit Izumo right on the forehead, too." She laughed harder. "He was grumbling the whole time I was patching him up. Something about Tsunade-sama knowing better. He keeps trying to hide the bandage under his headband, but that just irrates the wound, and he ended up annoying Tsunade-sama so much she smacked him again."

I was laughing by then, too. "That sounds more like Kotetsu, if anything."

"Oh dearest me, someone's using my name in vein," Kotetsu drawled, pushing the door open with his back as he inched his way in, carrying a small box that nonetheless took up both his hands.. Izumo followed, and the bandage on his forehead was evident. The lack of headband definetely made it obvious. He glared at me as I snickered.

"Oi, Izumo, nice forehead."

"Shut it and I won't chuck a kunai at you."

"Bring it, bandage-boy."

Cue in angry red vein.

Kotetsu intervened just in time. "Alrighty, then, Genma, this is for you." He dumped the box on my lap.

I raised an eyebrow. "What for?" I ripped the tape off and opened the box. Kotetsu and Izumo disappeared. Damn little... I realized why they ran in a second.

A kimono.

A midnight blue kimono with ivory clouds sat folded neatly in the box.

Pranksters. They're fucking worse than Naruto.

I am going to _find_ them and _throttle_ them within an inch of their miserable _lives_.

Aggravation is at it's maximum.

"_ARGH!!_ LITTLE _ASSHOLES!!!_ WAIT 'TIL I GET A HOLD OF 'EM!! I WILL FUCKIN--"

"Genma... calm down. Seriously." Shizune placed a hand on my shoulder, and my killing intent dropped down a notch, especially when she said, "Huh. The design looked different in the store. I guess someone else bought the one I saw before and they made a new one."

Well.

That's a... surprise.

"W-wait. What?"

She smiled at me again. "Izumo and Kotetsu didn't buy that as a joke, silly. I gave them some money and they bought it on their last mission. I saw that kimono on my way back with Tsunade-sama, and your old one is a bit in bad shape, and this one... reminded me... of you..." she faltered at the look on my face.

No, it wasn't disgust, or disbelief, or pleasure.

It was more like complete and utter dumbfoundedness.

I am an idiot.

"Ge-enma. Hellooo." She waved a hand in front of my face. I blinked. My mind had been racing out of control, mostly around the words "reminded" me" and "you".

Damn.

"I-I... um... Shizune... I-I..."

Thank you. Why can't I say that? Am I verbally challenged? Am I from a dysfunctional family that cannot allow me to express graditude? Or am I just a romance-challenged, semi-dysfunctional, emotional twit?

She bought me a new kimono because my other one is basically crap, and she probably suspects that I'm going to stuff it in the back of my closet to avoid any more shame.

She smiled at me _again_, and that didn't help much.

"I... I guess... tha-"

The next thing that occurred happened almost simultaneously.

_"SHANNARO, NARUTO!!"_ -a whistling noise like a fist whirling through the air- "WAH!! SAKURA-CH-CHAN, _W-WAIT!"_ -Naruto flying past the window like a bullet, blood flowing from his nose, cheek rosy- "Duck, Shikamaru." "...mendokusei." "Damnit." -a sound of another punch, followed by a cry of pain- "OW! Temari, what was that for?!" "DUCK, Shikamaru." "Oh." "Yes. 'Oh.'" -Naruto letting out a similar cry of pain that came from Shikamaru as he hit the ground- "YOU MORON, NARUTO." -Sakura breathing heavily- "N-Naruto-kun, are you okay?" "Pft. I'm sure he heals easy." "K-Kiba-kun... I dunno..." "Oh, c'mon, Hinata, he'll be fine, right Akamaru, Shino?" -a barking noise, and the loudest silence you will ever hear- "What is going on here?" "G-GAH! Tsunade-baachan!" "Naruto..."

Shizune and I looked at each other, mouths open.

"H-holy shit."

"I... um, I should go heal some of them... they'll need it..." she said, her eyes still wide in shock. You'd think we'd be used to this by now, but nope.

"Right."

She was already out the door, and I stared back down at the kimono.

Damnit.

I still need to say 'thank you'.

I banged my head against the box.

**A/N: laughs I've had that whole 'Naruto flying past' scene in my head for months now, and I'm glad I finally got to use it! And you can expect poor Genma to finally get out of the hospital and say thank you to Shizune. I HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK WITH!!! **

**Ja ne, all!**


End file.
